Chelsea hold Liverpool to end 6-match losing run in EPL

Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea at Anfield in their English Premier League fixture on Saturday afternoon.

The early kick-off was significant to confirm Liverpool’s Champions League qualification and Chelsea’s slim chance of an European place.

Both were, however, not possible as the two teams played out an entertaining draw that ends Chelsea’s miserable run of six league defeats in a row.

Ryan Gravenberch put Liverpool ahead on six minutes with a thunderbolt from outside the area following a set piece, the Dutch midfielder controlled Rio Ngumoha’s pass before slamming a shot into the far top corner.

Captain Virgil van Dijk should have doubled the Reds’ lead but he missed a sitter at the back post before Chelsea took control of the game, and restored parity.

Enzo Fernandez was the goalscorer as the Argentina international’s low free kick evaded everyone and rolled into the bottom far corner on 35 minutes for 1-1, as Liverpool became the first reigning champions to concede 47 goals in a season since Leicester in 2016/17.

Arne Slot’s home side had the ball in the net through Curtis Jones, but the strike was ruled out for offside by Cody Gakpo in the build-up.

The soon-to be deposed EPL champions Liverpool, and World Club Cup Champions Chelsea continued to engage in a back and forth in attack, but the post denied both Dominik Szoboszlai and van Dijk the winner with a header from a corner kick, and the goalkeepers did not budge for the rest of the match.

The final whistle was met with boos by the Liverpool supporters, but their club remains in 4th place with 59 points after 36 matches, one point ahead of 5th-placed Aston Villa.

Chelsea, however, remains in ninth place with 49 points, three points away from European places with two matches to the end of the season.